Continuing the "Liberty" coin story from Part I...As discussed in the bill's "Findings", the Dime was to be redesigned annually, begining in 2015; the Quarter was to initiate its annual redesign in 2016. Each of the commemorative coins was to be issued in addition to the regular circulation coin of the denomination and circulate alongside it. The current coins were to continue featuring Franklin Delano Roosevelt and George Washington, respectively.
The new Half Dollar was to have a different redesign schedule. The Liberty-themed design was to launch in 2015 with the Dime, but remain the same for 10 years (vs. changing every two years), at which time a new design would be implemented for another 10-year run. The cycle was to continue until changed by Congress.
The coins were to be produced in Proof and Uncirculated versions. In a given year, the "American Liberty" designs were to make up between 40 and 50% of the total struck for each denomination (e.g., if 10 million Dimes in total were to be struck in a given year to meet demand, 4 to 5 million of them were to feature the "American Liberty" design.
Silver coins were authorized for each denomination.
The bill included general guidelines for the designs to be featured on the coins.
- The obverse of each coin was to feature a design emblematic of the concept of "American Liberty".
- The reverse was to feature either:
>>> an American bald eagle;
>>> a fasces emblematic of civil governance;
>>> the torch of knowledge;
>>> an allegorical depiction of "The Union"; or
>>> a depiction of one or more of the American values and attributes of freedom, independence, peace, strength, equality, democracy, and justice.
Also, specific to the Half Dollar, the bill directed that
Frank Gasparro's 1977
Liberty designs intended for the small dollar coin were to be considered.
The concepts included in the bill appear to have provided a path for the new coins to carry the regular reverse designs in use at the time (e.g., bald eagle, fasces) .
The Secretary of the Treasury was to select the final designs for each denomination in consultation with the Commission of Fine Arts. The Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee was to serve in a design review role. Consideration of designs from outside artists in addition to those from Mint engravers was authorized. (Though one was not specifically described, an "Open Design Competition" would have been a way to engage outside artists.)
The bill was not reported out of Committee or considered under a Suspension of the Rules in the House - it did not progress past the proposal stage.
I would have liked for this proposal to have been authorized and approved - I think there was great potential for interesting designs within an "American Liberty" theme. I would have enjoyed seeing what talented artists created!
For more background on the proposed "American Liberty" voin program, see:
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Part I.
For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including other Modern Commemorative coin stories, see:
Commems Collection 
Posted Today 7H 12M ago
